Community group asks Indianapolis police chief to commit to their violence reduction plan

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Police Chief Bryan Roach agreed Tuesday night to discuss a relationship with the community group IndyCan to put their violence reduction plan to work.

One of the group's organizers Derris Ross, 27, grew up in Indianapolis.

Ross says he's lost 30 friends and family to murder. That's why he's involved in making a change in the city.

"We wanna end gun violence. We want to cut the murder rate in half," said Ross.

He wants to address the root issues behind the violence like putting food on people's tables, job creation and providing resources to people who commit crimes like mental health and addiction counseling.

"Actually get them help so they won't be resorting to violence in the community," said Ross.

Tuesday night's meeting included a demand that IMPD get on board with a violence reduction plan, commit to police stops that don't end in deaths, and putting an end to mass incarceration.

Chief Roach agreed to the plan and said he's committed to a changing approach to police work in the community.

"Identifying those people who may need maybe its mental health or substance abuse - getting that assistance on the front end instead of putting them through the system," said Chief Roach.

Roach says he wants to be ba part of the solution, but he was clear the community has to be involved as well.

"The community really has to understand that and step forward and take back some of their communities and this can help," said Chief Roach.

Chief Roach agreed to meet with IndyCan members in the next couple of weeks to discuss a working relationship to put the violence reduction plan to work in the streets where its needed.

IndyCAN on the Web

Indianapolis Congregation Action Network and PICO National Network are nonpartisan and are not aligned explicitly or implicitly with any candidate or party. We do not endorse or support candidates for office.